...Originally I didn't think that one little action could change my whole life. Although the only thing I did was help comfort a guy, Qing Zhao, after his breakup with someone he had cherished for a long time, and we had only just met one time. But because I comfort Qing Zhao, not knowing anything about him or his status. That's when my world begun to crumble.......

...I didn't think that Qing Zhao was someone that belonged in the most dangerous mafia gang, or even the leader of the most dangerous mafia gang…...

...After I helped him with coping with the breakup, I returned home not knowing that after that incident, my world would fall apart. As soon as I walked into my parents house, I found my mom and my dad freaking out about something and also screaming their lungs out at each other. When I asked what had happened, my mother just began to cry saying that she and my father will be getting a divorce. I was so shocked as yesterday, they were just fine. So I asked my father why they were getting a divorce since they were fine yesterday. That's when my father said that he had fallen out of love with my mother and even found a mistress behind Mother's back....

...I was horrified by that and just stood there speechless. I tried to utter out a word of disappointment to my father, but that word could not come out of my mouth. Not only that, but I was dumbfounded by what that had just happened before my eyes....

...Not only was I disappointed with my father, I was also very mad at him for cheating on my mom!...

...My mother loved him so much but yet my father cheated on her like it was nothing. From now onwards, I promised myself to never like men the same anymore. I lost trust in my own father because he betrayed my mother and I for some random mistress of his....

...I was in distress and also needed to comfort my mother. I vowed to never be like Father, an asshole he was. He wasn't like this. He used to love my mother very dearly and would trade his life for hers, but now he is just a cheating rat that did not deserve any of my mother's love....

After that happened, I thought my world was over until I bumped into the same man I had comforted. He became extremely handsome, and it was instantly love at first sight. But, remembering my vow to never look at men the same way ever again, I stopped myself and resisted the temptations to talk to him and check in on him. Although I was disappointed but still, I must keep to my vows, or I be as untrustworthy as father. I apologized and went about my day but then, Qing Zhao recognized me and struck up a conversation with me, I was surprised, he could still remember me. So we began talking about our day, until I asked how he was coping with his breakup and he replied with a short "fine" and did not give anymore information and continued to talk about how grateful he was to me because no random person would go over to him and comfort him so he thinks that I was a kind person and wanted to befriend me. I was happy to see that someone wanted to befriend me because usually after I helped someone, they would thank me and then be never to be seen ever.

As I listened to Qing Zhao talk, I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of comfort in his presence. It was odd—just a few hours ago, my entire world had shattered, yet here he was, someone I barely knew, offering me an escape from my thoughts.

We walked side by side down the dimly lit street, the neon signs of small shops and distant traffic casting faint glows on the pavement. He had this quiet confidence about him, something that made people want to listen when he spoke. His posture was relaxed, but there was something controlled about the way he moved—like a man who was always aware of his surroundings, always expecting something.

“So… how have you been?” he asked, his dark eyes locking onto mine.

I hesitated. Did I really want to pour my heart out to a near stranger? But something about him made me feel safe. Or maybe it wasn’t safety. Maybe it was distraction. Either way, I sighed and admitted, “Not great. My parents… they’re getting a divorce.”

His expression remained unreadable. “That must be painful.”

I nodded. “It is. My father—he cheated on my mom. It’s just… I don’t understand how someone can do that to the person they’re supposed to love.” My voice was bitter, each word laced with anger I hadn’t yet found an outlet for.

Qing Zhao was silent for a moment before he spoke again, his voice quieter this time. “People are selfish.”

The way he said it made me wonder if he was speaking from experience. There was something cold in his tone, like he had seen firsthand just how selfish people could be.

I glanced up at him. “You say that like you’ve been betrayed before.”

He smirked slightly, but it wasn’t a happy expression. “Something like that.”

I wanted to ask more, but I hesitated. Was it really my place to pry? After all, he didn’t owe me anything. And yet, there was something about him that made me want to understand him better.

We continued walking in silence for a few moments before he stopped abruptly. Turning to face me, he said, “You know… I meant it when I said I was grateful to you.”

I looked up at him, slightly caught off guard. “For what?”

“For comforting me that day. You didn’t have to do that,” he said, his voice softer now. “Most people wouldn’t have even approached me.”

I shrugged, suddenly feeling a bit flustered under his intense gaze. “It was nothing. I just—”

“It wasn’t nothing,” he cut in, his voice firm. “Most people wouldn’t have taken that risk.”

“Risk?” I echoed, frowning. “What do you mean?”

He exhaled slowly, as if debating something. Then, he gave a small, almost knowing smile. “Let’s just say… I’m not the kind of person you should be getting close to.”

His words sent a strange chill down my spine. There was something ominous about them, something that told me he wasn’t just being dramatic.

“Who are you?” I finally asked.

For a moment, he just looked at me. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he said, “Someone you shouldn’t be talking to.”

I frowned, feeling my frustration rise. “That’s not an answer.”

Before he could reply, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it quickly, and just like that, his entire demeanor shifted. His relaxed posture disappeared, his jaw clenched, and his eyes turned cold—so cold that for a second, I barely recognized the man in front of me.

“I have to go,” he said abruptly.

“Wait—”

He turned away, already walking down the street. But just before he disappeared into the shadows, he glanced back at me one last time.

“Be careful, alright?” His voice was softer now, almost hesitant. “You never know what kind of danger you might walk into.”

And then, he was gone.

I stood there, my heart pounding.

What the hell had I just gotten myself into?

The next few days passed in a blur. I tried to focus on helping my mother through the divorce, but Qing Zhao’s words kept replaying in my head. I barely knew the guy, and yet, something about him had left a mark on me.

I tried to push the thoughts away, telling myself it was just curiosity, nothing more. After all, I had made a vow—I wouldn’t let myself get involved with men. Not after what my father did. Not after seeing what love could turn into.

And yet, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had stumbled into something much bigger than I realized.

Then, one night, everything changed.

I was walking home from work when I felt it—the unmistakable sensation of being watched. At first, I told myself I was just being paranoid, that my mind was playing tricks on me. But as I turned onto a quieter street, I heard footsteps behind me.

I quickened my pace. The footsteps did too.

My heart pounded. I wasn’t the type to panic easily, but something about this didn’t feel right.

I reached into my bag, gripping my phone, ready to call for help. But before I could, a hand clamped down on my wrist, yanking me backward.

I gasped, struggling against the grip, but the man holding me was strong. He wore all black, his face partially obscured by the dim light.

“You shouldn’t have talked to him,” the man muttered.

My blood ran cold.

“Who—who are you?” I stammered.

The man’s grip tightened. “Stay away from Qing Zhao.”

I barely had time to process his words before a voice—calm, but deadly—cut through the night.

“I’d let go of her if I were you.”

The man holding me stiffened.

I turned my head and felt a rush of relief—and something else I couldn’t quite name—as I saw Qing Zhao standing a few feet away. But this wasn’t the same Qing Zhao I had comforted that night.

His expression was unreadable, his posture radiating something dangerous. He wasn’t just a handsome, brokenhearted guy anymore.

He was someone else entirely. Someone powerful. Someone terrifying.

And in that moment, I realized the truth.

Qing Zhao wasn’t just involved with the mafia.

The man holding me tensed at the sound of Qing Zhao’s voice. His grip on my wrist tightened for a split second before he released me and stepped back, hands raised slightly in a non-threatening gesture. But the tension in the air was thick, suffocating.

Qing Zhao took a slow step forward, his gaze locked onto the man. His expression was unreadable, his body language deceptively calm, but there was something dangerous simmering beneath the surface.

I took a shaky breath and moved behind Qing Zhao instinctively, my heart pounding against my ribcage.

“You know the rules,” Qing Zhao said smoothly. His voice was eerily calm, but there was an undeniable edge to it, a quiet promise of violence. “No one touches what belongs to me.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Belongs to him?

The man hesitated, his eyes flicking toward me, then back to Qing Zhao. “It was just a warning,” he muttered. “She’s better off staying away.”

Qing Zhao chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “And yet, here you are, breaking the rules.” His head tilted slightly. “Do you know what happens to people who forget their place?”

The man stiffened. “It wasn’t like that, I—”

Before he could finish, Qing Zhao moved.

It happened so fast I barely saw it. One second, he was standing in front of me, his posture relaxed. The next, he had the man pinned against the wall, his forearm pressing against the guy’s throat.

I gasped, taking a step back.

Qing Zhao leaned in, his voice a low whisper. “I don’t like repeating myself.”

The man struggled against his grip, but it was useless. Qing Zhao wasn’t just strong—he was in control. Completely and utterly in control.

After a few agonizing seconds, Qing Zhao released him, letting him stumble forward, coughing. The man didn’t waste another moment—he turned and disappeared into the darkness, vanishing like he had never been there.

Silence settled between us.

I stared at Qing Zhao, my heart still racing. He turned to face me, his expression unreadable, but the cold edge in his eyes was gone.

I swallowed hard. “Who… was that?”

Qing Zhao sighed, rolling his shoulders like he was shaking off the tension. “No one important.”

I frowned. “He grabbed me and told me to stay away from you. That doesn’t seem unimportant.”

He looked at me for a long moment before finally saying, “You weren’t supposed to get involved.”

I crossed my arms. “Well, it’s a little late for that, isn’t it?”

His lips twitched, like he was fighting back a smirk. “You’re not scared of me?”

I hesitated. “Should I be?”

Qing Zhao didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached out, gently taking my wrist—the same one that man had grabbed. His touch was surprisingly warm, careful, like he was checking for any injuries.

“You should be,” he said softly, his thumb brushing against my skin for a brief second before he let go. “But you’re not. That’s what worries me.”

I exhaled slowly, trying to process everything. “Are you going to tell me the truth now?”

He studied me for a moment before nodding slightly. “Let’s go somewhere quieter.”

---

We ended up in a small, quiet restaurant, tucked away from the busy streets. The lights were dim, the air filled with the scent of spices and slow-cooked food. Despite the cozy atmosphere, I felt like I was about to step into something I couldn’t walk away from.

Qing Zhao sat across from me, his fingers tapping idly against the table. For the first time since I had met him, he looked… conflicted.

“I wasn’t lying when I said you shouldn’t be talking to me,” he started, his voice low. “I’m not a good person.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re in the mafia.”

A small smirk flickered across his lips. “You catch on fast.”

I leaned forward slightly. “Are you… in trouble?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “No. Trouble follows me, not the other way around.”

I frowned. “Then why did that guy grab me?”

His expression darkened slightly. “Because people think they can use you to get to me.”

I sucked in a breath. “What?”

He exhaled slowly. “I wasn’t lying when I said most people wouldn’t have approached me that night. My reputation… it keeps people away. But you? You walked right up to me, not knowing who I was, not caring.” His gaze met mine, intense and unreadable. “That made people notice you.”

I felt my stomach twist. “So, what? I’m a target now?”

Qing Zhao didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small knife, setting it on the table between us.

I stared at it.

“You have two choices,” he said. “Walk away now, pretend you never met me, and try to go back to your normal life. Or…” He pushed the knife slightly toward me. “You learn how to protect yourself.”

I looked up at him, my heart pounding. “And if I walk away?”

He hesitated, then sighed. “I’ll make sure no one comes after you. But I can’t promise you’ll never see me again.”

My fingers hovered over the knife. The smart thing to do was walk away. To go home, take care of my mother, and forget this ever happened.

But deep down, I knew the truth.

It was already too late.

I picked up the knife.

Qing Zhao’s lips curled into a knowing smirk. “Good choice.”

And just like that, my world changed forever.